We're All Mad Here
by GenericLoveShit
Summary: Storybrooke Asylum for the Mentally Deranged
1. INTRO

High strung. Regina felt as though a cinder block had dropped in her chest as she tried to raise her head from the dark cherry wood desk. Crystal glasses lay abandoned only inches from her face, and the bronze liquid dregs found at the bottom of each one told her that she was drunk. Very drunk. She managed to lift herself up a few inches only to be met with her own reflection in the mirror on the wall.

_"Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall..."_

Regina shuddered as the vision ripped through her, and even to herself she looked deranged. Hanging over the desk like some kind of animal with horrible bloodshot eyes and tangled hair that would shame a rat's nest. She quickly sat up straighter but then regretted it as her stomach lurched and her head began to pound.  
_  
__"Who's The Fairest Of Them All?" _

"SHUT UP!" She screeched, she hated these visions. They made her low like the crazy ones. The ones that actually _belonged _in this place.  
Her voice came out like a frog's croak and a hand flew to her neck. As it came into view Regina caught sight of her knuckles, bloody messes that hurt to touch. She'd been beating the desk again. That was shame, she'd just gotten a new one.

A sudden flash of fear as she worried if anyone had heard her screaming, she always had on nights like these. Rough Nights, as in "Don't mind her, she's had a rough night."

There was a rapid beating on the door that sent waves of blood rushing through her skull and in her ears."Ms. Mills!"

Regina wanted nothing more than to crawl under the desk and pretend she wasn't there. But her name tag read 'Head Warden' and that fucking title was all she had to live for. Even if it was so little compared to what others had.

"Ms. Mills, do come quickly! Some of the patients are trying to escape!"

Regina smoothed her hair the best she could and buttoned up her jacket. She had a job to do.


	2. Unstable

"You have to come with me, Ms. Mills." The Administrator said, pushing through doorways straight towards the sound of chaos that was becoming apparent in the lower levels of the asylum. She was a pretty young woman, her sweet disposition marred by divorce but she was never unkind. Not particularly liked but then not particularly disliked, the woman did her job without forming ties. Regina respected her. When they walked silently together on hallway patrols Regina liked to imagine that they were friends.

"Kathryn," Regina said, the Administrator turned while still keeping the same brisk pace. Inebriation made her weepy but hangovers made the Head Warden downright unpleasant to be around. Kathryn looked upon her critically. "What is hap-"

A scream so primitive and full of anguish that it was almost inhuman split through the walls. It was like a sledgehammer had smashed Regina's skull and she recoiled in actual pain. The lights flickered.

"David," Kathryn breathed.

Regina began to feel herself slip. Acid burned in her eyes and nausea was beginning to make itself present, mixed with the awful sinking feeling that came with venturing to the lower levels of Storybrooke Asylum for the Mentally Deranged. They say fear lingers, saturates itself in entire areas so that the air you breathe is heavy with its hopelessness. Regina had to leave this place.

Kathryn didn't. She charged forwards, wrenching open the double doors to the lower men's wards and disappearing inside. Regina could do nothing but follow.

"SNOW!" David screamed with tears in his eyes, clawing his chest where his heart smarted at each beat. Regina had always thought it was a shame for him to be kept here; he had such a nice face. _"What a waste of a life_," she thought, as the man now began punching himself repeatedly in the chest with his eyes squeezed shut. Kathryn looked extremely distressed.

"_Do _something," Kathryn begged, eyes flicking sideways from Regina to David. As she was responsible primarily for the ones on the higher levels, the calm ones, she was unsure of what to do in a situation such as this where a patient was acting as a danger to himself and others.

At Kathryn's words David looked up, abandoning his self-harm. The change of his eyes was day to night; sadness to hate as he caught sight of Regina standing in the doorway.

"You," He growled, his whole demeanor changed. He now seemed very much aware of himself as he straightened up with a fluid grace. "What have you done with her?"

"I di-"

David started to laugh. A deep laugh that started slow and then quickened, coming out in bursts of wild insanity.

"DON'T LIE TO ME, EVIL QUEEN!" he shouted in between.

I'M DONE WITH YOUR LIES! THIS WHOLE PLACE IS FULL OF LIES!" He stood smiling a terrible smile because this whole thing was so twisted it was actually funny. Regina dug her nails into her forehead, weak head shaken by the noise but David couldn't care less. Then the visions wormed their way through, taking advantage of the blow to Regina's sanity made by alcohol and confusion.

"_I wonder if you'll be quite so incorruptible after your precious Snow is gone." The Evil Queen dropped, unfazed. She emanated regality, but Charming remained indifferent. How Heroic._

Regina's eyes darted in and out of focus, on faces, on things, on nothing at all. Some patients had retreated, unsure what to think of this hysterical person so they watched with glassy eyes as David ranted and raged. Others seemed unaware of him, or anyone else for that matter. But one didn't belong to either of these two main parties and he lounged in the corner to observe with a Cheshire grin glinting on his face.

"I'm going to kill you now, Evil Queen." David said calmly. "I'm going to kill you because you hurt Snow White."

"Regina!" Kathryn warned as David began to come closer, but he was taking his time. A million thoughts raced through the Head Warden's head , but that title meant nothing because she couldn't for the life of her decide what to do. Her stomach lurched.

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP KATHRYN! I CAN BARELY FUNCTION WITH YOUR INCESSANT HISSING IN MY EAR!" Regina exploded.

Kathryn's face went pale, and in the background several Attendants appeared out of nowhere and carted David off as he swung his fist blindly through the air. They had been summoned of their own accord simply by the screams.

"I'LL KILL YOU, EVIL QUEEN!"

When he was gone Regina stumbled to the nearest receptacle and vomited.

A/N: Thank you so much for commenting I'm really glad people are interested in this! Please tell me what you think of this chapter and whether it was be good or bad I really like hearing your opinions it helps me write a lot better -thank you!


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